Los Angeles welcomed the Swedish pop icon Robyn for the opening night of her two‑show run at the Kia Forum. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as fans filled the venue, ready to dance, sing, and lose themselves in the sleek production that has become synonymous with her name. The evening unfolded as a carefully curated journey, beginning with two compelling opening acts before Robyn took command of the stage and delivered a performance that balanced high‑energy pop with moments of genuine intimacy.
Opening Acts Set the Tone
The night did not start with Robyn herself. Instead, the arena was warmed up by Swedish artist Zhala, who stepped onto the stage around 7:30 p.m. Her set blended dance‑pop experimentation with a fierce stage presence, a natural fit given her affiliation with Robyn’s own label, Konichiwa Records. Zhala’s performance of “Slippin Around” from her 2015 self‑titled album stood out, marrying powerful vocals with an eccentric, high‑energy delivery that got the crowd moving early.
Following Zhala, Belgian‑based DJ and pop star horsegiirL—also known as Stella Stallion—elevated the energy even further. Arriving at roughly 8:20 p.m., she introduced her set with a sound‑bath ambience, low frequencies and a gentle drum pattern that hinted at the healing themes of her 2026 album “nature is healing.” The mood shifted quickly as she launched into “351%,” a tongue‑in‑cheek anthem about girl math and playful absurdity. Tracks like “eat sleep slay repeat” and “rivers run free” showcased her ability to fuse frantic techno with reflective lyricism, prompting both laughter and contemplation. Before exiting, horsegiirL teased an unreleased collaboration titled “Cunt-ry Girl Rock” with Dylan Brady of 100 gecs, then closed the set with a return to the tranquil sound bath, bringing her performance full circle.
Robyn Takes Command
By the time the lights dimmed at 9:30 p.m., the floor was already a sea of eager fans. A massive white curtain dominated the stage, a simple yet effective visual element that would become a recurring motif throughout the show. As the curtain shifted, a spotlight revealed Robyn’s silhouette, and the opening notes of “Blow My Mind” filled the arena. Rotating lights synced with the beat created a dizzying, electrifying backdrop that transformed the minimalistic stage into a pulsating playground.
When the curtain finally opened, Robyn launched into “Fembot,” leaning into the track’s robotic aesthetic with precise, mechanical dance moves. A sweeping bar of red light cut across the white backdrop, adding a sharp contrast that emphasized the song’s futuristic vibe. The momentum continued with “Talk to Me” and “Hang With Me,” but it was “Ever Again” that triggered a collective shift: the audience rose from their seats, turning the arena into a spontaneous dance floor.
The energy surged into “Dopamine,” where the first pyrotechnic burst lit up the ceiling, adding a new layer to a production that had relied heavily on lighting, movement, and the flowing curtain. From that point on, each song seemed to build upon the last, introducing fresh visual and sonic surprises.
Highlights and Musical Shifts
Robyn’s rendition of “Honey” allowed the excitement to simmer before she transitioned into a cover of Jamie xx’s “Life.” The hypnotic repetition of “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What to Do” deepened the trance‑like state of the crowd, cementing the arena’s transformation into a unified dance space.
A particularly interesting moment arrived before the title track “Sexistential.” Rather than jumping straight into the familiar studio version, the instrumental from Arca’s remix played first, pulling the song into a more experimental electronic realm before resolving back to the original arrangement. This brief detour highlighted Robyn’s willingness to flirt with avant‑garde sounds while retaining her pop core.
Emotional Interlude
After “Really Real,” the show pivoted toward a more reflective tone. Robyn posed the crowd two pointed questions—“Have you ever been in love? Has anyone ever hurt you?”—leading directly into “Love Kills.” The juxtaposition of vulnerable lyrics with relentless dance production underscored a long‑standing contradiction in her music: heartache expressed through beats that demand movement.
The massive curtain returned, briefly shielding the stage before “Be Mine!” and “Show Me Love” appeared in stripped‑down, acoustic arrangements. These moments offered breathing room, allowing the audience to focus on Robyn’s vocal prowess and songwriting depth amid the evening’s electronic intensity.
Finale and Lingering Echoes
Just after eleven p.m., Robyn stepped back onto the stage for the encore, kicking things off with “Missing U” and sliding straight into “Call Your Girlfriend.” Each track ignited the audience—The Forum swelled into a pulsating mass of dancers belting out the lyrics in unison. Even though the night had already traced a journey through various chapters of her catalog, a single tune lingered in the air, and the crowd could sense what was coming next.
When the opening notes of “Dancing on My Own” filled the Forum, the response was instantaneous. As the first chorus hit, the backing track fell silent and thousands of voices rose, shouting the words back at Robyn with no instrumental support. Instead of launching straight back into the song, she sank to her knees onstage, drinking in the roar of the sold‑out arena echoing her anthem. Overcome with emotion, tears welled up as she listened to the sea of fans singing her lyric. She paused, gathered herself, and then rejoined the performance.
The moment felt surreal—a song born of solitude transformed into a collective catharsis. “Dancing on My Own” narrates watching a lover from afar, trying to out‑dance the ache of being left out. Inside the Forum, however, there was nothing isolated about it. Fans sang the same lines together, their shared voice turning a lament of loneliness into one of the night’s most communal highlights. That very contrast mirrored everything Robyn had conveyed from the instant her silhouette emerged behind the white curtain: her music constantly bridges sorrow and joy, letting love, heartbreak, desire, sex, and isolation coexist beneath glittering lights and thundering beats. Seeing her kneel, tearful, while the crowd carried the chorus for her made that duality unmistakable—though the song speaks of isolation, the evening proved how many listeners have found refuge inside her sound.
The pace revived with “Light Up,” which featured a surprise guest appearance, before “Sucker for Love” and “Indestructible” pushed the set toward its climax. Throughout, the concert flowed seamlessly between intimate passages and grandiose, arena‑ready pop spectacles, never feeling disjointed.
“With Every Heartbeat” brought the main set to a close. As the white curtain swirled around Robyn, it appeared to dance alongside her, turning a simple stage prop into a living extension of the performance. The song’s gradual emotional rise matched the visual movement, and when Robyn finally exited the stage, the crowd’s roar made it clear that the night was far from over.
The encore, though not detailed in the original account, left fans buzzing long after the final note faded, a testament to the lasting impact of a show that masterfully blended spectacle, sincerity, and unstoppable dance‑floor energy.
Setlist
- Blow My Mind
- Fembot
- Talk to Me
- Hang with Me (Paola cover)
- Ever Again
- Dopamine
- Honey
- Life (Jamie xx cover)
- Don’t fucking tell me what to do
- Sexistential
- Really Real
- Love Kills
- Be Mine!
- Show Me Love
- Light Up
- Sucker for Love
- Indestructible
- With Every Heartbeat
- Missing U
- Call Your Girlfriend
- Dancing on My Own
